Provisional ballots in Cuyahoga County
I give my heartfelt thanks to Joe Knapp for his Cuyahoga County spreadsheet, to Bernard Windham for forwarding it to me, and to Roman Sasik for compiling the table of precincts according to my instructions.
Provisional ballots are issued to persons who show up at the polls on Election Day but find that, for whatever reason, their names are not on the voter rolls, or find their right to vote challenged by a member of the opposing party. They are asked to provide certain information when casting their provisional ballots, and this information can be checked afterward to determine if they were eligible to vote. If so, then their votes are to be counted.
Provisional ballots are issued to persons who show up at the polls on Election Day but find that, for whatever reason, their names are not on the voter rolls, or find their right to vote challenged by a member of the opposing party. They are asked to provide certain information when casting their provisional ballots, and this information can be checked afterward to determine if they were eligible to vote. If so, then their votes are to be counted.
Uncounted votes in Cuyahoga County
I give my heartfelt thanks to Brian Julin for producing the spreadsheets and the tables of data that made it possible for me to write this report in a timely manner.
This is the fourth in a series of reports on uncounted votes in urban counties of Ohio. These are ballots cast but not counted because they were regarded as “undervotes” and “overvotes,” or “blank” and “void,” as they are known in New York State. The true number of such votes can be easily determined by subtracting votes counted from total ballots cast.
Shortly after the election I obtained from the website of the Ohio Secretary of State the data I needed to make a statewide compilation on a county by county basis of the uncounted votes, exclusive of provisional ballots. These data have since been taken down from said website. I present them here.
Cuyahoga County
Registered Voters 1,005,807
This is the fourth in a series of reports on uncounted votes in urban counties of Ohio. These are ballots cast but not counted because they were regarded as “undervotes” and “overvotes,” or “blank” and “void,” as they are known in New York State. The true number of such votes can be easily determined by subtracting votes counted from total ballots cast.
Shortly after the election I obtained from the website of the Ohio Secretary of State the data I needed to make a statewide compilation on a county by county basis of the uncounted votes, exclusive of provisional ballots. These data have since been taken down from said website. I present them here.
Cuyahoga County
Registered Voters 1,005,807
Kerry votes switched to Bush and ballots pre-punched for Bush
Pre-punched ballots; touch-screen vote switching; more absentee votes than absentee voters; unfair provisional voter deletions; change of voting sites on Election Day; voter suppression; voter intimidation; double voting; malfunctioning machines; recalibrated machines; evidently rigged machines; and even 25 million negative votes registered in some races in Mahoning County!
Lawsuit Before the Ohio Supreme Court
NATURE OF THE ACTION On December 13, 2004, numerous Ohio citizens contested “the certification of the election of the electors pledged to George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney for the offices, respectively, of President of the United States and Vice President of the United Sates for the terms commencing January 20, 2005…” and “…the certification of the election of Thomas Moyer for the office of Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court for the term commencing in 2005.”
LAWSUIT REFILED On December 16, 2004, Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer threw out the complaint because it had two election challenges. The following day, on December 17, thirty-seven voters and their lawyers refiled the election challenge for President and Vice President of the United States. The other case for the office of Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court was refiled on December 20, 2004.
LAWSUIT REFILED On December 16, 2004, Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer threw out the complaint because it had two election challenges. The following day, on December 17, thirty-seven voters and their lawyers refiled the election challenge for President and Vice President of the United States. The other case for the office of Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court was refiled on December 20, 2004.
Update from the Ohio Frontlines
As previously reported both the cases to challenge the legitimacy of the Presidential election and Ohio Supreme Court Justice Thomas J. Moyers's re-election were filed separatedly in the Ohio Supreme Court. Yesterday, December 23, 2004 attorneys for Plaintiffs successfully filed Motion to disqualify Justice Moyer from sitting as the Judge on the Moss v. Bush matter based on the fact that he has an apparently conflict of interest in that the election challenge of the Presidency potentially affects his race (and the suits are effectively collateral actions) The Ohio Code of Judicial ethics, Canon 3 specifically requires that any judge with any financial interest in the outcome of litigation recuse him or herself or be disqualified. (Similar Codes of Judicial ethics exist for virtually every Judicial office.)
The efforts in Ohio are historic landmark legal efforts forging new legal ground. The team of attorneys on Moss v. Bush are working literally round the clock.
The efforts in Ohio are historic landmark legal efforts forging new legal ground. The team of attorneys on Moss v. Bush are working literally round the clock.
Default settings in Mahoning County
A disturbing story has been widely circulated that a vote for Bush was the default choice in the software of electronic voting machines in a number of states. By definition, “default” settings are built-in by the manufacturer to make sure their programs work properly, and can be changed by the user. Some examples of default settings on a home computer are screen savers, type face, and screen resolution.
According an article by Ann Harrison, posted at http://www.counterpunch.org/harrison12082004.html
in certain counties in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Mexico where touch screen voting machines were used, there have been complaints from voters who selected Kerry on the touch screen and saw their votes change to Bush on a summary screen. In addition, there was a specific problem with the Sequoia AVC Edge machine (not used in Ohio) where voters actually saw preselected default choices presented to them.
According an article by Ann Harrison, posted at http://www.counterpunch.org/harrison12082004.html
in certain counties in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Mexico where touch screen voting machines were used, there have been complaints from voters who selected Kerry on the touch screen and saw their votes change to Bush on a summary screen. In addition, there was a specific problem with the Sequoia AVC Edge machine (not used in Ohio) where voters actually saw preselected default choices presented to them.
TV Networks Officially Refuse to Release Exit Poll Raw Data; Mainstream media finally displays true colors
For those watching the growing body of evidence concerning election fraud in our past presidential election, one question has remained: Why don't we hear about this on the evening news?
As of yet it's been hard to explain why the controversies in Ukraine make the headlines, but when similar problems are discovered at home, you have to scour the Internet to find the information.
It certainly isn't for lack of events on which to report. Members of The House Judiciary Committee have been meeting regularly reviewing evidence of systematic voter suppression and voting machine tampering. A coalition of lawyers have filed a lawsuit against the Bush campaign citing deliberate manipulation of votes. Sworn testimony and signed affidavits have implicated companies, individuals, and a Florida congressman.
This developing story could eventually turn out to be more explosive than Watergate. But it's rarely mentioned on the major networks, and when it is, there's almost always a chiding remark about the "conspiracy nuts" and obscure "internet bloggers" who are behind it all.
As of yet it's been hard to explain why the controversies in Ukraine make the headlines, but when similar problems are discovered at home, you have to scour the Internet to find the information.
It certainly isn't for lack of events on which to report. Members of The House Judiciary Committee have been meeting regularly reviewing evidence of systematic voter suppression and voting machine tampering. A coalition of lawyers have filed a lawsuit against the Bush campaign citing deliberate manipulation of votes. Sworn testimony and signed affidavits have implicated companies, individuals, and a Florida congressman.
This developing story could eventually turn out to be more explosive than Watergate. But it's rarely mentioned on the major networks, and when it is, there's almost always a chiding remark about the "conspiracy nuts" and obscure "internet bloggers" who are behind it all.
Observations from an election observer
COLUMBUS -- It was easier to walk into the Franklin County Board of Elections to
witness the recount of votes than it was to get into a preview screening
of "Finding Neverland." I totally expected to have to open my bag and be
scanned by a metal detector when entering the building. Weeks earlier
that happened to me when I went to Easton for a movie premier. I guess
it's more important to make sure the citizenry isn't bootlegging movies.
After all, we're no Warren County.
That was the first surprise of my experience on December 14, 2004. I hadn't expected to be called to serve but someone had to cancel at the last minute and I answered my phone so there I was. I met Amy in the lobby and she gave me a letter from David Cobb which was all I needed to become a bonafide witness. No one ever asked to see it, or any identification for that matter. The only time I did see any security personel was when I passed one in the hallway on my way to the restroom. But like I said before, we're no Warren County.
That was the first surprise of my experience on December 14, 2004. I hadn't expected to be called to serve but someone had to cancel at the last minute and I answered my phone so there I was. I met Amy in the lobby and she gave me a letter from David Cobb which was all I needed to become a bonafide witness. No one ever asked to see it, or any identification for that matter. The only time I did see any security personel was when I passed one in the hallway on my way to the restroom. But like I said before, we're no Warren County.
Chicken Soup for the Activist Soul
In a Time of War and Fear, Seattle Writer Paul Loeb's New Anthology Discovers
Hope for the Future in the Dissident Voices of Yesterday and Today
On a fall day in 1998, a group of people gathered for a conference on spirituality and ecology in a church basement in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana. They spent had part of a day sharing stories, ideas, and opinions on how they had and could live more meaningful lives as activists and environmentalists. But when one young woman voiced her frustration at her sense of powerlessness, complaining that the world was in such bad shape she couldn't believe there was anything she could do that would make a real difference, a voice in the room rose in protest.
On a fall day in 1998, a group of people gathered for a conference on spirituality and ecology in a church basement in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana. They spent had part of a day sharing stories, ideas, and opinions on how they had and could live more meaningful lives as activists and environmentalists. But when one young woman voiced her frustration at her sense of powerlessness, complaining that the world was in such bad shape she couldn't believe there was anything she could do that would make a real difference, a voice in the room rose in protest.
Election results in Southwestern Ohio
Three contiguous counties in southwestern Ohio, all traditionally Republican counties, gave unexpectedly large margins to George W. Bush over John F. Kerry on election night. All three counties experienced a huge increase in voter turnout. In all three counties, Bush received a higher percentage of the vote than he did in the 2000 election, and Kerry received a lower percentage of the vote than Al Gore did in 2000. This study analyzes how it happened.
In Warren County, the administrative building was locked down on election night, all in the name of "homeland security." No independent persons were allowed to observe the vote count. Compared to 2000, the population increased by 14.75%, the number of registered voters increased by 29.66%, voter turnout increased by 33.55%, Bush’s point spread increased from 42.24% to 44.58%, and Bush’s victory margin increased from 29,176 votes to 41,124 votes.
In Warren County, the administrative building was locked down on election night, all in the name of "homeland security." No independent persons were allowed to observe the vote count. Compared to 2000, the population increased by 14.75%, the number of registered voters increased by 29.66%, voter turnout increased by 33.55%, Bush’s point spread increased from 42.24% to 44.58%, and Bush’s victory margin increased from 29,176 votes to 41,124 votes.